Dianthus plant named ‘Valda Judith’

ABSTRACT

A new cultivar of Dianthus named ‘Valda Judith’ that is characterized by double, pale pink flowers, a compact habit and gray-green foliage. In combination these traits set ‘Valda Judith’ apart from all other existing varieties of Dianthus known to the inventor.

CROSS-REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The application for this new invention is co-pending with three other applications entitled ‘Valda Kitt’, ‘Valda Louise’ and ‘Valda Isolde’. All are derived from the same breeding program, having the same inventor and filing date as the present application entitled Dianthus ‘Valda Judith’.

Botanical classification: Dianthus Allwoodii.

Variety denomination: Valda Judith.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Carnation that is grown for its pale pink flowers. The new cultivar is known botanically as Dianthus Allwoodii and will be referred to hereinafter by the cultivar name ‘Valda Judith’.

‘Valda Judith’ resulted from a program conducted by the inventor in a cultivated area of Dawlish, Devon, England. The primary focus of the program was to select a variety of flower color mutations from the parent plant ‘Valda Wyatt’ (unpatented).

In 1995, a naturally occuring color sport mutation was found by the inventor on part of a petal of Dianthus ‘Valda Wyatt’ (not patented). The shoots on the lower part of the stem on which the color mutation occured were removed, rooted and grown out into flowers. One or two of the plants produced a whole flower exhibiting the mutated color. This process was repeated until a whole plant was obtained that produced the new color on all flowers.

‘Valda Judith’ is a hardy perennial grown for its use as a container and landscape plant.

‘Valda Judith’ was selected for its double, pale pink flowers and is characterized by gray-green foliage, compact habit, profuse flowering, free-flowering, long flowering and vigorous growth. It is distinguishable from the parent plant ‘Valda Wyatt’ by flower color. The flowers of ‘Valda Wyatt’ are more red (68B) with a incomplete ring (66B) around the base of the petal than those of ‘Valda Judith’.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar was first accomplished by the inventor who took cuttings in a cultivated area of Dawlish, Devon, England in 1995. Since that time the characteristics of the new cultivar have been determined stable and are reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and represent the characteristics of the new cultivar. These traits in combination distinguish this cultivar from all other commercial varieties known to the inventor. ‘Valda Judith’ has not been tested under all possible conditions and phenotypic differences may be observed with variations in environmental, climatic and cultural conditions.

1. Dianthus ‘Valda Judith’ reaches approximately 46 cm. in height and 38 cm. in width at 12 months.

2. Dianthus ‘Valda Judith’ exhibits double, pale pink flowers.

3. Dianthus ‘Valda Judith’ exhibits a compact growth habit.

4. Dianthus ‘Valda Judith’ exhibits dense gray-green foliage.

5. Dianthus ‘Valda Judith’ is long flowering, blooming from May to October.

6. Dianthus ‘Valda Judith’ is hardy to minus 15° Centigrade.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying drawings illustrate the distinguishing traits of the new cultivar.

The drawing on sheet 1 is a color copy of an original photograph showing a close-up view of ‘Valda Judith’ and illustrating the flower color, foliage color, bud, and dense, compact foliage.

The drawing on sheet 2 is a color copy of an original photograph illustrating the pale pink flower color of ‘Valda Judith’ in comparison to the flower color of the three co-pending varieties. All drawings were made in July of plants grown in 4-inch containers out-of-doors in Encinitas, Calif. All photographs and copies were made using conventional techniques and although colors may appear different from actual colors due to light reflectance they are as accurate as possible by conventional photography copying techniques.

BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION OF THE PLANT

The following is a detailed description of the new cultivar as grown in a 4-inch container out-of-doors in Arroyo Grande, Calif. The color determinations are in accordance with The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart of The Royal Horticultural Society, London, England, except where general color terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

Botanical classification: Dianthus Allwoodii ‘Valda Judith’.

Commercial classification: Hardy perennial.

Common name: Carnation.

Use: Container and landscape plant.

Parentage: ‘Valda Judith’ is a sport of Dianthus ‘Valda Wyatt’ (unpatented).

Plant description:

Bloom period.—May to October.

Plant habit.—Dense cushion, compact and clump forming.

Height.—46 cm. in height.

Width.—38 cm. in width.

Hardiness.—Hardy to minus 15° Centigrade.

Type.—Perennial herb.

Root system.—Fibrous.

Propagation.—Propagation is done by cuttings.

Cultural requirements.—Plant in full sun, well-drained and moderately fertile soil.

Diseases and pests.—Susceptible to known Dianthus pests and disease but no other susceptibilities are known to the inventor.

Time to develop roots.—2 weeks is required to develop roots on an initial cutting.

Temperature to produce rooting.—15° Centigrade air temperature and 21° Centigrade base heat are required to develop roots on initial cuttings.

Crop time.—5-7 months are required to produce a finished one-gallon container from a rooted cutting.

Stem:

Shape.—Cylindrical.

Stem dimensions.—19 cm. in length and 0.75 cm. in width.

Stem surface.—Glabrous or glaucous.

Stem color.—189A.

Branching.—Numerous basal breaks.

Internode length.—5 cm. between nodes.

Node color.—160D.

Node dimensions.—50 cm. in diameter and 0.50 cm. in length.

Foliage:

Type.—Evergreen.

Shape.—Lanceolate.

Division.—Simple.

Apex.—Acute.

Base.—Decurrent.

Venation.—Not Prominent.

Margins.—Entire.

Arrangement.—Opposite and spiraling up the stem.

Attachment.—Sheathing.

Surface (adaxial and abaxial).—Glaucous.

Leaf dimensions.—7.5 cm. in length and 0.25 cm in width.

Leaf color (adaxial and abaxial surfaces).—189B.

Fragrance.—Absent.

Flowers:

Type.—Salviform, double and symmetrical.

Flower dimensions.— 4 cm. in height and 4 cm. in diameter including the calyx.

Throat depth.—2 cm.

Bud dimensions.—3.25 cm. in length and 1.25 cm. in width.

Bud shape.—Ovate.

Bud color.—Closest to 189B.

Petals.—Persistent 10-14 petals, double, apopetalous, overlapping and synpetalous.

Petal margin.—Crenate.

Flower color.—75D.

Petal surface.—Glabrous.

Petal shape.—Obdeltoid.

Calyx dimensions.—3 cm. in length and 1 cm. in width.

Calyx color.—189B.

Sepals.—Five.

Sepal apex.—Aristiculate.

Sepal dimensions.—3 cm. in length and 0.50 cm. in width.

Epicalyx.—138B.

Epicalyx dimensions.—1 cm. in length and 1 cm. in width.

Peduncle color.—189A.

Peduncle dimensions.—9 mm. in length and 3 mm. in diameter.

Fragrance.—Clove scented.

Lastingness of flowers.—5 to 10 days.

Reproductive organs:

Stamens.—Ten, 2 whorls, stamens of outer whorl are shorter, apostemonous, distinct, stamens develop after pistil development, self compatible, exserted 3 mm. above corolla.

Stamen dimensions.—2.5 cm in length and 1 mm. in diameter.

Stamen color.—155A.

Anther color.—155A.

Anther shape.—Oblong.

Anther attachment.—Dorsifixed.

Anther dimensions.—Less than 0.50 mm. in width and less than 0.50 mm. in length.

Pistil.—One.

Pistil dimensions.—3 cm. in length and 1 mm. in width.

Pistil color.—155A.

Stigma.—Two.

Style color.—155A.

Style dimensions.—1 cm. in length, 1 mm. in diameter and protruding 1 cm. above petals.

Ovary position.—Superior.

Ovary shape.—Oval to round.

Ovary color.—155A.

Ovary dimensions.—7 mm. in height and 6 mm. in diameter.

Seed production: No seed production has been observed. 

I claim:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of Dianthus plant named ‘Valda Judith’ as described and illustrated herein. 